Zac Brown Band’s New Album — The Worst of New Country?

A disappointment arrives due to expectation.

My expectations were obviously misplaced. The new album from Zac Brown Band, The Owl, is a very sad reminder of the state of country music in 2019. Just when the Ken Burns documentary is healing most wounds from the treatment of country music in the past decade, along comes this new release from what has heretofore been a reliable maker of authentic country music.

Most of the problem lies in the fact that the album features collaborations with artists from across the musical spectrum, including Skrillex, Andrew Watt, Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd, Max Martin, Benny Blanco, Ryan Tedder and more. Or less.

But, then again, when the preview of the album (slated for release on Sept. 20.) arrives along with a list of promotional team members that outnumbers the number in the band, what can one expect?